Thank God. Once again the NYCity Council is pushing to force deceptive crisis pregnancy centers to be honest. This from Speaker Quinn:
Right here in New York City there are over two dozen so-called crisis pregnancy centers, many pretending to be full-service reproductive health care facilities. Many of these centers purposely deceive and misleadwomen who are seeking safe and legal reproductive health care services. Often they do not have licensed medical providers on staff, offer prenatal care, and refuse to even give referrals for birth control or abortion.
Last year Mayor Mike Bloomberg signed into law legislation that was sponsored by Council Member Jessica Lappin and passed by the NYC Council requiring crisis pregnancy centers to be transparent about what they do and do not offer. The responsible ones already are. Unfortunately, a coalition of pro-life forces and center operators sued the City, claiming that our new law violates their First Amendment rights. In July, a federal court blocked the measure on the grounds of free speech.
The law passed but then a judge placed an injunction on the bill so it has not been implemented.
Here is the common sense top line of the bill:
ELIMINATING MISINFORMATION
This bill will require Pregnancy Services Centers to inform clients that women who are or may be pregnant are encouraged by the DOHMH to consult with a licensed medical provider. Additionally, Pregnancy Services Centers will be required to disclose whether they do or do not:
• have a licensed medical provider on staff;
• provide or refer for prenatal care;
• provide or refer for abortion; and
• provide or refer for emergency contraception.
Notice will be in both English and Spanish in the form of a posted sign visible at entry and in waiting areas as well in any advertising of services published.
I wrote about this last year. I was at the City Council building when the initial law was passed and had a creepy encounter with Chris Slatery, founder of Expectant Mother Care, a notoriously deceptive CPC.
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